Saturday, May 11, 2013

Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli rabe is a variety of broccoli. It has long, thin,
leafy stalks topped with small florets that look like tiny broccoli florets.
The florets or flowers are quite delicate; the leaves slightly bitter.

Once highly prized by the Romans and
cultivated all over the southern Mediterranean, broccoli rabe didn't appear in
North America until the 1920s, when Italian farmers brought it to the United
States. For years broccoli rabe was favored mainly in the Italian and Asian
communities here.

At
the market you'll usually find broccoli rabe displayed in a refrigerator case
sprinkled with ice because it wilts very easily. Choose firm, green, small
stems with compact heads. Like broccoli, the flower buds that make up the
florets should be tightly closed and dark green, not open or yellow. The Andy
Boy label is the top of the line when it comes to broccoli rabe and should be
bought whenever possible.

Store broccoli rabe in your
refrigerator crisper unwashed, either wrapped in a wet towel or in a plastic
bag. It will keep two or three days. For longer storage, blanch and freeze.

Recipe

Total Time: 20 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients

Directions

Working in batches, cook the
broccoli rabe in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about
1 minute per bunch. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water to
cool. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Strain the cooled broccoli
rabe and set aside.

Heat the oil in a heavy large
skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until the garlic is golden,
about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the broccoli rabe and toss to
coat. Add the reserved cooking water, and cook until the broccoli rabe is
heated through and the stems are tender, about 4 minutes. Salt to taste and
toss before serving.